12:49 PM

"You all are a bunch of dumb s----," is what they heard if they called 1-800-528-4187, the number that registered on their caller IDs.

Citizens for a Progressive Wisconsin spokesman Eric Hogensen said the call was handled through a national vendor, and he believes the message on the call-back was altered by a hacker. He said the group is investigating how that happened.

The call told voters that Plale's campaign is being propped up by former Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen and his group, the American Federation for Children.

"So why would this Republican help Democrat Jeff Plale?" the call asked. "Because they both worked together in Madison ...To privatize Social Security. To outlaw stem cell research. And to deny a woman's right to choose, even for victims of rape and incest.

"Jeff Plale should support us, not the right-wing agenda of his Republican allies," says the call.

Hogensen said the message that callers found when they called the phone number shouldn't obscure the overall message: "Scott Jensen is trying to get Jeff Plale elected. That's what should concern Milwaukee County voters.''

TV records show Citizens for a Progressive Wisconsin has purchased $64,845 of air time on Milwaukee TV affiliates.